Negotiations about  whether or not to take a wage freeze are occupying a lot of my thoughts right now. Listening to the issue being debated by the BA teachers, it was hard to keep an eye on the larger picture.

I think there should be national standards for education. However, national standards don't exist thanks to Lyn Cheyney (Diane Ravitch).  No one is sufficiently brave enough to push for national standards.  I was thinking, well, why start with history standards, since they are easily made into a controversial topic (shall we call it the War of Northern Aggression?  Anyone? Anyone?). 
Let's start with...science!  Oh, wait, there's that whole sticky evolution problem.
Okay!  Start with...reading!  Oh, wait...Huckleberry Finn, anyone?  How about the cleansed version?? No?
Fine.
I can't imagine what could be controversial in math standards, but I'm sure someone else can.

So the only way to have national standards is to have r-e-a-l-l-y low ones, to which no one can object.
Which lowers what kids are expected know.
And if funding is tied to tests which measure only what kids know, and kids are only required to know the small amount of information in these low standards, well, eek.
Anecdotally, one of the sixth grade teachers is upset because one of the elementary teachers will only teach what is required/what is the eligible content.  I get that.

On another topic, I could relate to the anger felt by the teachers in San Diego because reform was thrust upon them rather than being worked out with them. Hm. Sounds familiar.

I wish I had more intellectual offerings, but this is all I got. Overwhelmed.